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I am not sure he invented it; but the imaginary numbers were first invented to solve equations with third-degree and fourth-degree polynomials. They were at first considered an artifact to solve those problems, with no real meaning - hence the historical name "imaginary".
Nowadays it is known that complex numbers (that consist of a real and an imaginary part) have lots of applications; to name only a few: electricity; quantum mechanics; art (ever seen a fractal, like the Mandelbrot set?).
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Earn +20 ptsQ: Why did Carl Friedrich Gauss invent the imaginary number?
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What are Carl Friedrich Gauss's mother and father?
Dorothea Benze and Gebhard Dietrich Gauss.
What is gauss' first name?
Karl Friedrich
What college did Carl Friedrich Gauss go to?
Gauss went to the Collegium Carolinum and then the University of Gottingen
How many siblings did Carl friedrich gauss have?
2
What is carl friedrich gauss was famous for?
Karl friedrigh gauss is knon for making many math exploration
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